BREAKING: EU Commits to 111 GW of Offshore Renewable Energy by 2030 as 26 Member States Sign European Wind Charter

December 19, 2023, by Adrijana Buljan

Today, 19 December, the energy ministers of 26 European Union Member States signed the European Wind Charter, by which the state governments officially commit to deliver on the actions set out in the EU Wind Power Package, which the European Commission published in October.

The Charter, which was also signed by the European Commission and more than 300 companies from the wind energy sector, ensures the 15 immediate actions from the Wind Power Package that concern national governments would be implemented, while the European Commission and European Investment Bank (EIB) already started delivering on action points ascribed to them.

The Wind Power Package includes a European Wind Power Action Plan and a Communication to deliver on the EU’s offshore renewable energy ambitions.

The latter contains new measures that, among other things, raise the EU’s offshore renewable energy target for 2030 to 111 GW, from the 61 GW set out in the 2020 EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy. Of the 61 GW for renewable energy, 60 GW was set as a target for offshore wind.

The target for 2050 has also been increased to around 317 GW. “For the North Sea basin, the Ostend Summit in April 2023 resulted in a further strengthening of the ambition level to at least 300 GW by 2050 in the North Seas”, the Communication, issued on 24 October, states.

The ultimate objective of the EU Wind Power Package and the now-signed European Wind Charter is to strengthen the competitiveness of Europe’s wind value chain.

“This broad support shows that Governments have understood the strategic value of wind energy being ‘made in Europe’ and the urgent need to strengthen Europe’s wind industry,” WindEurope stated in a press release issued following the signing of the Charter.

To deliver on the Wind Power Package, the 26 EU countries have now committed to implement changes to wind energy auction design and permitting urgently, and to invest in Europe’s wind energy supply chain and support the infrastructure required for the expansion of wind, WindEurope pointed out, welcoming the EU-wide move.

“Today is a huge day for Europe’s wind energy industry. 26 countries have committed to implement the actions set out in the EU’s excellent Wind Power Package. The actions on permitting, finance and auctions will help boost the expansion of wind energy and strengthen Europe’s wind industry. This is good for jobs and growth and for Europe’s energy security. And it shows Europe as a whole understands the urgent need to strengthen its wind industry,” said Giles Dickson, WindEurope CEO.

The European Wind Charter was signed by the energy ministers of Austria, Belgium, the Republic of Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The Charter was endorsed by Bulgaria and Croatia.